Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 310 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
4. 4.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a truss bridge side
11. 11.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
17. 17.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
18. 18.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
20. 20.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
23. 23.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
31. 31.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid

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